Compared to the B&O H6, these headphones have a very narrow soundstage. Violins and other high pitch sounds are harsh. Female vocals and classical music sound good, but somewhat unrealistic. Certain instruments such as triangles could not be heard on these headphones.

Costing $399.99, the P7 Wireless is $50 dearer than the regular, wired P7. By itself, that might be a reasonable premium to pay for the added convenience, but the P7s were already pricey, which nudges the new model into the very top of the consumer premium bracket.

Aluminum frame; sheepskin leather; and memory foam; Highly enjoyable; bass-rich sound signature; Battery lasts a long time and doesn't add noticeably to the weight; They sound their best under the worst listening conditions

Fit is tight enough to be fatiguing after an hour's use; Bluetooth connection can be unreliable; Pricey for a set of fun cans; They sound their best under the worst listening conditions

I purchased the P7's to use with my iPhone and iPad. I own the Bowers & Wilkins A7 Airplay speaker system and have been extremely impressed with not just the sound quality but also the design and build too.

Sound quality; design; comfort; Bowers & Wilkins heritage

None

By far the best headphones I have ever owned, and the sound is so crisp with such clarity that is not fathomable to believe until you put these puppies on. These headphones blow the Beats out of the water, and have much better build quality as well as material used to construct them.

Comfortable; Compact; Durable; Good Bass; Good Value; Great Sound; Lightweight; Stylish

Open sound; comfortable; luxurious feel; warm sound

Bulky build for some

In the vast jungle of fancy headphones, some trees stand taller than others. The Bowers & Wilkins P7 , a gorgeous $400 pair of over-the-ear headphones, is one such specimen. I use "fancy" in the way one would speak of a Bentley or a Morgan.

Excellent sound; a big bottom without sacrificing anything up top. Wonderful clarity. Comfortable, with beautiful leather and stylish design notes. They fold up nicely. User-serviceable pads, cables, and drivers

Price - all that hand-stitched leather ain't cheap; Designed for portability and isolation, so unless you have a noisy home, they aren't as desirable for home listening

The Bowers & Wilkins P7 are classy headphones with the sort of construction most other sets can only dream of. Sound quality is bettered by open-back sets, but they're portable headphone royalty. As long as you don't work on a building site – noise isolation isn't that good.

Top sound quality; (Mostly) Excellent build quality

Expensive; Sound bettered by ‘at home' sets at price; Mediocre isolation; Jack construction needs a tweak

Even in this post-Beats by Dr. Dre world ￡330 is a hefty price to pay for a pair of headphones, but the B&W P7 offer a class-topping combination of premium materials and durability, comfort, timeless style and phenomenal sound quality.

Soft leather; Brilliantly built; Epic sound

Price; Large headband; Less than portable

When Bowers & Wilkins does something new, we pay attention. It has been going since 1966, in the grand old tradition of British audiophile companies producing and sticking with a very few, very excellent models.

Back in 2010, Bowers & Wilkins established the gold standard for Apple headphone industrial design. Its P5 was the sexiest pair of headphones ever marketed towards Apple users, using leather, aluminum, and chrome accents to upgrade a product category that had become stale -- at a $300 price.…